Rail anchor



Ap 1930- I A. F. FIFIELD 1,754,420

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Oct. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR April 15, 1930. FlFlELD 1,754,420

RAIL ANCHOR Filed Oct. 2e, 1928 2 [Sheets-Shggt 2 INVEINTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 "UNITED STATES ALBERT F. FIFIELD, OF ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT OFFICE AMERICAN FORK 8: HOE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO RAIL ANCHOR Application filed October 26, 1928. Serial No. 315,164.

My invention relates to improvementsin rail anchors and relates particularly to im provements in that type of rail anchor which i is retained on a rail by virture of its inherent resiliency, and by virtue of a preliminary distortion efiected upon it in placing it on the rail.

My improved anchor is of a type wherein a reach bar of spring steel is required to be twisted in. applying the anchor to the rail base, and which, due to its resiliency, strives to regain its normal unstressed form, effecting asevere retaining grip upon the base of the rail. Theanchor is provided, moreover,

with a downwardlyextending lug or flange atone-end, engageable by a tie or other fixed abutment and which tends to slew the reach bar to contribute to the gripping of the anchor on the rail.

An object of my present invention is to provide an improved anchor not only operative to receive the preliminary twisting effort to provide a retaining pressure grip on the rails, but also wherein-terminal jaws are provided so formed, and disposed, as to remove objections to prior anchors as to placement on the rail, and maintenance in service, without adding unduly to the cost of manufacture.

The anchor of my present invention is adapted to be provided with rail gripping jaws for retaining the anchor on the rail base flange, which are of highly tempered steel, and therefore, resiliently maintained in their position onthe rail base during the various conditions required to be met in pram tical service.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved rail anchor effective to tightly grip the rail base flanges by the eifort of a twisted resilient bar underlying the rail base in an attempting to regain its normal unstressed form.

1 Another object of my invention is to provide an improved rail anchor of the aforesaid type which may be easily affixed to a rail base flange with the tools ordinarily employed by workmen who are charged with the duty of maintaining the railway equipment.

Other objects of my invention and the in vention itself will become more apparent as the following description of a certain embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, progresses reference being had in the description to the accompanying drawings illustrating the said embodiment Referring to the drawings i Fig. 1 is a view in perspective ofa rail anchor, embodying the principles of my invention, affixed to a rail base flange;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of theanchor, embodying the principles of my invention, the view being taken from the opposite side of the rail, from the view of Fig. 1, the position of a tool for applying the anchors being indicated; 1 V

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the anchor of Fig. 1, taken transversely of the rail but viewing the anchor from the opposite direction, the rail being shown in section;

Fig. 4: is a plan view of the reach bar of Fig. 3. g

Fig. 5 is'an end view of the bar of Fig. 4:.

Figs. 6 and 7 areperspective views of the anchor clamping shoe as if in place, the other parts of the anchor being omitted to clearly illustrate the clamping shoe, as if in place; 1 r

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are side elevational, plan and end elevational views, respectively, of the clamping shoe of Figs. 6 and 7. I

Referring now to the different figures of drawings in all of which like parts are desig nated by like reference characters at 1, 1 indicate the rail base havinglaterally extending flanges 2 andB, and at 4;, I show a reach bar having a hooked end 5 at one end and a springloop 6 at the other end, the two ends of the reach bar being formed as shown and adapted to embrace the rail base flange 2 and 3, respectively,as illustratedin Figs. 1, 2 and 3. a

The reach bar 4 is preferably made of a single piece of bar spring steel normally formed as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive with a hook 5 at one end and a loop 6 at the other end, and capable of being'distored by twisting its intermediate reach portion 7' by a twisting eifort exerted at the looped end 6; a clamping shoe 29 is adapted to hold the other end of the bar 4 to the rail base flange, the shoe being variously formed, as shown in various views of the drawings, particularly Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive, and illustrated in connection with the reach bar 1 in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

The clamping shoe" in the embodiment illustrated preferably comprises a rounded bar of. spring steel bent substantially into the form shown wherein it comprises an intermediate spring loop 8 terminating at its ends in a pair of spaced rail flange embracing jaws 9 and 10 which are adapted to engage respectively the upper surface 11 and the bottom surface 12 of a rail base flange, at preferably longitudinally spaced points thereon, as illustrated, particularly in Figs. 1, 2, Sand 7.

Disposed laterally of the loop 8 intermediate 1133 end 23and the jaw 10, there is provided a supporting shoe portion 13. The jaws 9 and 10 characterize the element 29, here in termed a clampingshoe, as a clamp, and the intermediate portion 13 characterizes the element as a shoe. The shoe portion 13 isadapted to be placed longitudinally parallel toand against the lateral vertical edge 14 of a rail base flange, and to fit snugly with the The hook 5 of the reach element 4 is positioned to embrace the shoe portion as perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, and the opposite end of the bar 4 is then rotated upwardly to a position where the opening 15 will project above the rail base flange 3, whereupon the end of a pryin' tool, such as the lever 16 may be projecte inwardly toward" the. rail web1'7 to cause its tip. 18 to engage:- with the upper surface 19 of the rail base flan e 3, as shown in Fig. 2, whereupon by aliftmg effort on the handle end of the tool 16,; the inner corner 22 of the depending free end 20 of the reach bar loop 6 will be lifted above. the level of the top corner 21 of the rail base flange 3, whereupon the free end 20 will move inwardly under the power of the resiliency of the material of which the loop 6-is made and because of the normal unstressed form of the loop, as best shown perhaps in Fig. 4-, it will be seen that the arm comprising the free end 20 has a form wherein it extends inwardly toward the middle of the rail. The bottom surface of the free end 20' of the said loop 6 is preferablyinclined to the plane of the reach portion 7, extending= inwardly toward the rail web 17 and inclined upwardly, as best shown in Fig.- 3.

The operation just described, namely that of lifting the free end 201ofthe loop 6, accomplishesa rotational movement of the loop relative to the jaws at the other sideof the anchor held by the hook 5 and comprising jaws 9 and 1-0 ofthe clam ing shoe which hold the reach bar with su cient rigid ty as to accomplish a certainamount of twlsting on the reach portion 7 of the reach bar. At the same time, there is a limited amount of flexing caused in the clamping shoe 29. The loop 8 depends below the bottom surface 12 of the rail base and is adapted to engage, by its lateral surfaces exposed to view in Figs. 1 and- 2, with a railway tie upon which the rail 1 rests, or against some other rigid abutment which is not longitudinally movable with the rail when the rail attempts to creep incidental to passage of trains thereov'cr during use.

When the rail attempts to creep, it tends to carry the reach bar l, which is rigidly secured to its base flanges, with it, but this movement is restrained by the loop 8 coming into Contact with the engaged surface of the tie and the tie resists movement of the loop in a direction lon itudinally of the rail; and, therefore, the hook 5, which engages with the loop 8 along the portion of its lateral surface indicated at 30, Fig. 1, is prevented from movement. Therefore, the rail is gripped on the one side by the jaws 9 and 10, and on the other side by the jaw 20 comprising a pendant endof the loop 6 and thejaw 31 comprising the upper surface of the reach bar in engagement with the bottom surface 12 of the rail base flange 3. Stresses communicated by the rail in its effort to move transversely of the engaged tie, etfectslewing of the shoe carrying end of the anchor and increase the clamping effect of the anchor on the rail base flanges by wedging engagement of the shoe portion 13 of the shoe element with the vertical edge surface of one rail base flange while the upwardly extending arm of the loop 6 engages the other flange edge, being retained? by the engagement of the end 20 with the rail flange.

However tightly the anchor above illustrated and described engages with the rail base flanges to. prevent creeping of the rails, the anchor may be easily removed from the rail base for purposes of inspection, replacement or repair by a suitable tool engageable with the inner surface 32 of the pendant, free end 20 of the loop 6 to move it outwardly from the rail until the loop can be snapped downwardly over the lateral vertical edge 38 of the rail base flange 3. This permits the reach bar to untwist and the jaws release their hold, and the anchor can be then readily taken from the rail.

In the above description, I have employed the term .embrace as defining the relative position of the hooked end 5 of the'reach bar 4' of my improved anchor relative to the rail base flange 2 over the edge 14 of which the hooked end is placed.

I use this term in its broadest sense, even though in the preferred embodiments of my invention, as described, the forward free end of the hook may not actually engage the upper surface of the rail base flange.

. Having thus described my invention in a l'lU certain embodiment, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiments herein illustrated and described but without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a rail anchor, a spring steel reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted for disposition below a rail base and extending transversely thereof, provided at one end with a pair of jaws adapted to embrace one of the rail base flanges, and terminating at the other end in an upstanding, inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free end disposed for engagement with an upper surface of the opposite rail base flange only, by a twisting eifort imparted to the intermediate bar portion.

2. A rail anchor comprising a spring steel reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted for disposition below a rail base and extending transversely thereof, and provided at one end with a pair of interconnected jaws adapted to embrace one of the rail base flanges, and terminating at the other end in an upstanding, inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free end disposed for engagement with an upper surface of the opposite rail base flange only by a twisting effort being imparted to the intermediate bar portion, and a clamping shoe adapted for insertion between the vertical edge of the rail base flange embraced by said pair of jaws, and the portion of the bar interconnecting the jaws, said shoe comprising a portion depending below the bar and adapted for engagement by a fixed abutment such as a railway tie.

3. In a rail anchor comprising a sprlng steel reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to transversely underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned hook, and terminatingat the other end in an upstanding inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free arm adapted to effect downwardly directed pressure against an upper surface of a rail base flange, and a separate shoe element for the hooked end having on intermediate portion adapted to be disposed between the hook and the lateral surface of the rail base flange, and extending in peripheral relation with the rail, said shoe element having an end portion adapted to underlie the rail base and another pendant portion adapted for engagement with the lateral surface of a rail supporting he 4:. In a rail anchor comprising a spring steel reach bar having an intermediate por tion adapted to transversely underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned hook, and terminating at the other end in an upstanding inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free arm adapted for spring pressure engagement with an upper surface of a rail base flange, and a separate shoe element for the hooked end having an intermediate portion adapted to be disposed between the hook and the lateral surface of the rail base flange, and extending in peripheral re lation with the rail, sald shoe element having end portions adapted to respectively underlie and overlie the rail base flange.

5, In a rail anchor comprising a spring steel reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to transversely underlie a rail baseand terminating at one end in a reversely turned hook, and terminating at the other end in an upstanding inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free arm adapted for engage ment by its end with an upper surface of a rail base flange, and a separate shoe element for the hooked end having an intermediate portion adapted to be disposed between the hook and the lateral surface of the rail base flange, and extending in peripheral relation with the rail, said shoe element having end portions dapted to respectively underlie and overlie the rail base flange, and a pendant portion adapted to engage the lateral surface of rail supportingtie.

6. In a rail anchor comprising a spring steel reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted to transversely underlie a rail base and terminating at one end in a reversely turned hook, and terminating at the other end in an upstanding inverted loop, said loop terminating in a free arm adapted for engagehaving an intermediate portion adapted for disposition below and transversely of a rail base and provided at one end with an upwardly extending portion adapted for engagement with a lateral surface of a rail base flange, and atthe other end in an up wardly extending portion spaced from the opposite rail base flange lateral surface, and a separate jaw element comprising a spring steel bar formed with terminal hooks adapted respectively to overlie and underlie the associated rail base flange, and having an intermediate portion adapted for disposition between said spaced upturned bar portion and the lateral surface of the railbase flange.

8. A rail anchorcomprising a reach bar having an intermediate portion adapted for disposition below and transversely of a rail base and provided atone end in an upwardly extending portion adapted for engagement with a lateral surface of a rail base flange,

and atthe other end in an upwardly extending portionspaced from the opposite rail base flange lateral surface, and a separate jaw element comprising a spring steel bar formed with terminal hooks adapted respec tively to overlie and underlie the associated ra l base flange, and having an intermediate portion adapted for disposition between said spaced upturned bar portion and the lateral surface of the rail base flange, said jaw element comprising a portion pendant below said reach bar, and adapted for engagement with the lateral surface of a rail supporting tie.

9. In a rail anchor, a rail base flange enibracing hook, a bar of spring steel extending therefrom. and terminating in an inverted loop, one leg of the loop being integrally secured-to an'end ot a reach baaportion adapted for disposition below the base of a rail and the free leg of the loop having a length so as to normally project it below the level of the outermost top surface of the rail base flange, and given a form tending normally to project its end inwardly from the vertical edge of said rail base flange, said anchor adapted to be secured to the rail base by lifting said loop free end above the'outermost portions of the adjacent upper flange surface, whereby said end will snap inwardly to make'resiliently maintained engagement with the upper surface of said rail base flange when the distorting pressure is removed.

10; In a rail anchor, a single piece of spring steel having an intermediate reach bar portionadapted for disposition transversely beneath the base of a rail' and terminating at one end ina rail flange embracing hook, and at the other end in an upright inverted hook extension, the free leg of the extension being pendantly disposed in spaced relation laterally of the secured leg, and adapted to be lifted to resiliently torsionally distort the said intermediate bar portion, and being normally so formed as tospring its end inwardly to supporting engagement with a top surface portion of the railbase flange, when so lifted. said anchor comprising a more rigidly held portion engageable with portions of the vertical edge surface of the base flange over which said free leg is sprung.

11. In a rail anchor, arail base flange embracing hook, a bar of spring steel extending therefrom and terminating in an inverted' loop, one leg of the loop being integrally secured to an end of a reach bar portion adapted for disposition below the base of a rail and the free leg of the loop having a length so as ton'orm'all'y project it below the level of the outermost top sil'rf'ace of the rail base flange, and given a form'tending normally to project its end inwardly from the vertical edge of saidrail'base flange, saidlo'op adapted to be secured to the rail base'by'lifting said loop free end above the outermost portions of tl e'acent upper flan surface, whereby said end will snap-inwardly to make resiliently maintained engagement with the upper surface of said rail base flange when the distorting pressure isremoved.

12. In a rail anchor, a single piece of spring steel having" an intermediate reach bar portion adapted for disposition transversely beneath the base of a rail and terminating at one end in a rail flange embracing hook, and at the other end in an upright inverted loop extension, the free leg of the extension being pendantly disposed in spaced relation laterally of the secured leg, and adapted to be lifted to resiliently torsionally distort the said intermediate bar portion, and being normally so formed as to spring its end inward-- ly to supporting engagement with a top surface portion of the rail base flange, when so lifted, said spring steel piece comprising a more rigidlyheld portion engageable with portions ofthe vertical edge surface of the base flange over which said free leg is sprung.

1-3. In a rail anchor, a metal bar terminating at one end in an upstanding reversely turned hook and at the other end in an upstanding laterally extending inverted loop, the free end of the loop-adapted to be sprung into engagement with the upper edge corner of a rail base flange, and atie engaging element pendant from the hooked end having a lateral surface adapted to bear against a side of a tie.

In: testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. V

ALBERT F. FIFIELD.

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